While the mechanics at Uptown Ford of Oakland in Oakland, CA will gladly replace your car battery if necessary, there might still be a way to charge a battery once it's gone dead. All you need is a car battery charger that can be purchased from practically any auto parts store.

To charge your battery, you first need to prepare it. Most vehicles don't require you to lift the battery from its holding tray, but some do. Check your user manual to find out if this is the case for your vehicle. Take some time to make sure that all electronics in your vehicle are turned off, and remove the cables from the terminals. Always remove the negative cable first, then the positive. The negative cable will have a "-" on it, while the positive cable will have a "+" symbol. If there is any dirt or debris on the battery terminals, clean it off with a terminal cleaning brush and a battery cleaning solution. If you don't have any commercial solution, you can make your own by mixing baking soda and water.

Next, make sure your battery charger is turned off, and connect the positive charging cable to the positive terminal on the battery. Repeat the process with the negative cable, and turn the charger on. It should take between two and four hours to charge a dead battery until it can start your car. Charging the battery completely will take between 10 and 24 hours.